I Am the Resurrection
by The WolvGambit
Summary: AU. After the events of SA2 Amy begins to have visions of Shadow when Sonic bestows one of his power rings to her. On a mission to find him believing him still alive she heads for the Ark finding him in stasis. The only way to resurrect him?
1. Haunted

Disclaimer: Sonic the Hedgehog characters are property of SEGA. I own not.

AN: This story will probably not be updated as often as I'd like since I've got so many others in the works ATM so this chapter is just a teaser really. My first Shadow/Amy as well. Be kind.

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One - Haunted

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It was raining again, it seemed to be that way ever since they returned to Earth. Amy looked out the window of her apartment and sighed. The weather seemed to reflect her mood again. Every night the dreams were getting worse, the ring continued to glow on her nightstand, its meaning unknown...just like the cloudiness of her mind. That ever-present fog haunted her, causing her to lose touch with reality. Something everyone had begun to notice.

Sonic had dropped by more often, she paid him no mind. It was as if a switch had been flicked in her brain to stop chasing the blue speed demon. Shadow was still alive, she felt it all the time. A feeling she was having trouble expressing to the others when they didn't believe. Amy knew she couldn't make them.

Her eyes turned to the sky again, the light of the newly discovered space station easy to find since Tails had pointed it out to her. It was that location that surfaced once the clouds briefly cleared. The ARK called to her on a subliminal level, her subconscious mind pulling her toward it.

"I have to go." As if confirming her spoken thought, the gold ring on her nightstand came to life, it's red glow lighting the darkness in her room. Beside it, a blue chaos emerald sparkling brilliantly; the pale color casting a significant glow across her features.

She picked up his power ring and the emerald at the same time as she sat down on her bed. A thousand thoughts fragmenting across her mind. Maybe someday the dreams would make sense.

XX

"Amy, are you okay?" Tails came to sit by her side. "You haven't been yourself lately."

Her once vibrant green eyes were clouded over with an emotion he couldn't quite read as she turned to face him before looking out the window once more. "I don't know. There is something out there."

"He's gone, Amy." Tails sighed. "We all know that he's the one you're looking for. Shadow hasn't been seen in over two years."

"I don't believe that." Amy closed her eyes suddenly, flashes of her dreams crossing her vision. "I can't believe that."

"Nightmares aren't reality."

"For me they are." She twirled the power ring around her too small wrist.

There were no more words after that.

XX

**She was running through the halls, dark and twisted, never ending. A light at the end of the tunnel always out of reach, never achievable. Running from them, always from them. The unbelievers, those who doubted her. All alone. **

**Amy fell to her knees in front of the glowing capsule, the presence inside blurred by the red hue surrounding it. The blue emerald falling to the metal floor along with the gold power ring. Her ears failed to pick up the clang of both items, it was if the sound was completely engulfed by the darkness. **

**In an instant, the glass cracked...fragmenting and shattering around her. The once unknown entity suddenly had a form, the blue emerald glowing brightly as it swirled around him. A gloveless black hand framed by red on both sides lifted her face to his gaze. **

**Red eyes glowed as they focused on her battered form. The green lights on his wrists pulsing from the upraised mechanics that held his power rings, the skin stretched over the implants. **

"**Shadow..." Her voice sounded hollow, even to her own ears, warped by the surreal surroundings. **

"**_Resurrect me..." _The power ring glowed red and hovered between them. **

"**Shadow..."**

"**_Resurrect me..."_**

Amy shot up off the pillow with a low scream. The sound weak to her own ears as tears welled up behind her eyes as she closed them. Her wrist burned where his power ring rested and she could not stop the way it chose to attach itself to her. Six days after she set it on the nightstand after finding the blue emerald it sealed itself to her.

Shadow said the same thing every night in her dreams. Asking her to resurrect him, but she did not know how. Knowing she was going to be unable to sleep again this night, Amy trudged downstairs to the small kitchen to make herself some tea. 

Why did Shadow choose her to torment? To ask this almost impossible favor? It wasn't as if she had much in the use of the emeralds power. Sonic was able to use it because the emeralds allowed him to do so. She was unable to wield such a strength.

The past two years she had lived in this hollowed shell, searching around for the means to save the ebony wonder. But to no avail.

"I can't save you, Shadow." She stated to the empty room, the cup of tea clasped firmly in her hands, its warmth not aiding the cold spot forming in her heart. "Please just rest in peace."

"_Resurrect me..._"

Her eyes widened as she dropped the glass to the floor, the cup shattering with the force of impact. Now she was hallucinating in her wakened state. His voice, clear as day, had just filled the room with the same words from her dreams.

"Please leave me alone." She covered her ears and sunk to the floor.

Just as in her dream he knelt before her, however he was a hollow shell of his true self; an apparition. Amy found she couldn't speak as his crimson eyes focused on her, even though he was transparent she found herself looking at him instead of through him. His mere presence solidifying him, bold as it was. This couldn't be possible. She tried to pinch herself, but his hand clasped around the glowing red ring that encased her wrist, stopping her.

"_You are not dreaming. I am as real as the nose on your face." _As if to emphasize this point, his fingertip from his unoccupied hand tapped the extension coming off her muzzle. "_You carry my power with you." _

"I..."

"_The ring." _It glowed brighter. _"Has fused with you now, Amy." _

"I can't..."

"_Follow it with the emerald." _The jewel materialized in his transparent hand. _"Come to me, Rose."_

"Shadow..."

"_Free me from my prison." _He requested of her, stroking her cheek.

Xxxx

His mind felt like a maze, held down by the drugs keeping him under, the machinery working to keep him in stasis. Shadow was angered by Ivo putting him back here after he found him out in space. Gerald's grandson was only a shadow in the great man's footsteps. It was a good thing that he inhabited Mobius instead of Earth.

Visions of a pink hedgehog flitted through his subconscious as he contacted her once again. The ring she had kept keeping him able to do so. A link to something real, someone to save him. Even so, he still would've picked her out of any one of them. However, he did feel a bit of guilt for burdening her mind so deeply. Only she believed him alive while all others had lost hope.

Two years had passed while it felt like an eternity locked in this liquified prison. Without his power rings he had no way of collecting energy to bust himself out. Weakened, but not entirely down, he communicated with her in dreams. This time, however, his remaining energy focused to create a hollow projection of himself. He just hoped she would come.

How he had boiled down to putting his faith in one young girl had not escaped him. It blurred the boundaries of time itself. Amy helped him remember Maria's true wish. For that, he wanted to live again since he could not die.

"_Resurrect me..."_

Xxxx

Amy sat on the dock looking out at the lake just outside the limits of the Mystic Ruins. Everything seemed so peaceful here, just the soft flickering of fire flies all around as the sun began to set beyond the open horizon. She smiled wistfully as she looked up at the stars starting to come into view as the sky slowly darkened. In truth, she didn't know if she could pull this off and she was tired of running from it.

With the blue emerald in hand, Amy touched the surface of the jewel to the power bracelet snugly attached to her wrist and in a flash of light she disappeared.


	2. Fragmented

Disclaimer: Sonic the Hedgehog characters are property of SEGA. I own not.

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Two – Fragmented

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The area around her was so cold she could see her breath as she breathed in and out. All power had not been restored to the space station, it seemed, since their mission ended two years ago. Amy looked around at the barren space she had been teleported to by the emerald and Shadow's ring and found nothingness. It felt as if she'd been cheated out of the prize when she looked around at the hollow metal lit by the blinking security lights. Where was Shadow and why was she in this area exactly?

Every time she felt as if she were moving two steps forward, it figured she would be pushed two steps back. The window caught her eye then, the clear untouched glass giving her an unhindered look at the outside world around her as she swirled slowly in orbit inside the space station. Planet Earth looked so beautiful from this distance, its blue glow illuminated by the sun bouncing off the atmosphere. It was as if the world could be encompassed in the palm of your hand. A detail she filed away for later as the ring burned her wrist once more.

Amy turned to the left hall as she made her way out of the main viewing room. The emerald seeming to know the way as it floated in front of her at a distance. Every twist and turn brought her deeper and deeper into the darkness. Those very places from her dreams coming to life before her eyes. A tear trailed down her cheek as she turned towards the darkness behind her. What would be her fate after all this was over?

Xxxxx

Sonic rushed towards Tails' workshop after getting a rather distressing phone call from the hyperactive kitsune. His exact words being 'Amy just vanished with the chaos emerald in her hand!'. Something about this situation didn't seem right. The only other person Sonic knew that was capable of inducing Chaos Control was dead. A loss he mourned greatly since the ebony hedgehog gave his life after he remembered Maria's true wish. The very thing Amy had filled him in on after they had landed and he gave her the power ring.

At this moment in time he wished he would've never gave it to her since it seemed to cause her nothing but heartache. Sonic started to believe more and more that Shadow had something to do with her current behavior and the thought shocked him that he could do something like this to her from beyond the grave.

Shaking out of his thoughts, Sonic barged right in finding Tails pacing backwards and forth across the enclosed quarters of his airplane hanger.

"Tails where did you last see Amy?"

Startled, the young dual-tailed fox jumped higher than Sonic had ever seen him do before he settled down and started talking. "She told me she was going for a walk down to the docks. I was bogged down with some work I'd been doing on the Tornado and when I went to check on her I saw a bright flash of light and then she was gone."

Sonic thought for a moment watching as his long-time friends ears flattened against his skull. "Do you think that Shadow _is_ alive?"

"We haven't heard or seen him in two years, Tails."

"I know." He sighed. "But the only other person who can induce chaos control is Shadow."

Sonic shook his head. "Then how did he do it?"

"The power ring." Tails exclaimed. "I saw it glow right before Amy touched the emerald to it."

"But we don't know where she teleported to." Sonic scratched his head in frustration.

"If I tweak my radar a bit we can try to trace the emeralds signature." Tails smiled. "We'll find Amy, Sonic."

Said hedgehog looked towards the sky, the stars making everything seem so small and insignificant. Amy could be anywhere by now, he just hoped that she wasn't hurt.

Xxxxx

She felt as if she were being led in circles by this stupid jewel. Everything from the walls to the ceiling looked the same and the only light that crossed her vision was from the chaos emerald in front of her. The realization didn't help her constant state of panic at becoming lost in the space station forever due to Shadow. Amy was at a loss as she turned, yet, another corner only to find more of the same generic metal amongst the blue glow and inky blackness.

"Where are you?" She wound up asking the emptiness before her, not expecting an answer.

"_Closer than you think._" His voice startled her and she tripped. Her eyes closed as she braced herself for the impact, but it never came. Warm hands held her as she collided with a firm body, the fur on his chest tickling her cheek. _"Easy, Amy."_

"I want to go home." She spoke softly, even she had to strain to hear herself.

"_Your mission is not yet complete._" Shadow answered. Her eyes opened then, his image was a bit more opaque now but still somewhat transparent. The emerald swirled around his form as he pointed down the hall she was currently walking. "_I am waiting for you._"

"Who did this to you?"

His eyes narrowed as a low growl passed through his chest. _"It is unimportant right now."_

"If I'm going to do this, I want to know."

"_You will once you free me." _Shadow traced her features with a clawed fingertip. "_Now go._"

As he faded away into a black and red mist the emerald started moving once again down the same way Shadow pointed before. The cold was really starting to get to her now, its icy fingers licking up her spine as she continued down the path into nothingness. More stairs, then another long hallway leading to an area she'd never seen before.

As she looked at the sealed metal door in front of her, Amy pulled out her hammer and sighed. There was no turning back now as she braced herself before hammering away. With eight good hits the door fell down with a loud clang, the impact rattling the hinges off as she walked over the beaten heap and gasped at the sight before her.

Shadow suspended in liquid, his hands tied over his chest, eyes sealed shut, a breathing apparatus snugly fitted over his muzzle. He was alive in there, she could tell by the steady beat of the heart monitors beside the tank. Amy stood there in awe before the ring turned to pure fire before releasing her wrist. She watched in fascination as the single piece of gold struck the glass again and again before it started cracking.

In what seemed like minutes was actually only a few seconds as Shadow's eyes snapped open before he fragmented the glass around him before freezing time completely. The shattered fragments hovered around, swirling with deadly energy as they cut through every single tube and wire attached to him before he fell to the metal floor. Glass pinged to the ground, shattering into even tinier pieces before crunching under his feet as he stood to his full height.

His crimson eyes then rested on her kneeling form. The glowing red ring floating to him until he clasped it with his hand and slipped it on his right wrist. Immediately the gold hoop took hold to the implant and clicked into place.

"Thank you, Amy." He stated softly as he knelt down to her level. The gold band shining on his wrist as he gently eased her face up to meet his gaze. Again, the image was as if her dreams had come to life. There he was, Shadow the Hedgehog, kneeling before her while the blue emerald circled around his form. His red eyes glowing in the sparsely lit laboratory. However, the absence of the phrase _resurrect me_ made her realize this was no dream. His solid bulk rested before her now and with that knowledge Amy fainted into his arms.

Xxxxxx

Tails finished putting the finishing touches on his invention before switching it on. Sonic was not going to be happy with what he had discovered. The signal appeared to be coming from outer space. It didn't seem possible. He restarted the instrument several times checking the results thinking there might be an error, but the results remained unchanged.

She was up there, the one place she stared at every night until the muscles in her neck would surely atrophy. Just as he started to hook up the engines in his latest invention that he'd put on hold, a rush of air blew by his form causing several of his tools to topple. Sonic had arrived in a thick gust of wind as usual.

"What did you find out?" Always straight to the point.

"She's in space."

Tails watched as Sonic's eyes practically burst out of his skull. "You're not serious?"

"I've checked the results several times, Sonic. Amy is up there and if I had to bet on the destination..."

"ARK." Sonic filled in as his friend trailed off. "She's at the ARK."

"You know the only reason she'd be up there."

"Yeah..."

Xxxxxx

Shadow gazed upon the unconscious pink female in his arms as he walked down the hall towards the med bay. Not everyone was able to handle the warping powers of the emeralds with ease. It was a wonder how Sonic was able to, but then again even he had a flaw in his design. Still weakened by his time in stasis, he stumbled here and there before they finally reached their destination. His body unable to handle the pressure anymore collapsed in the chair beside her bed. Shadow was at a loss, with only one power ring it would take him twice as long to recover.

He looked down at the raised implant on his left wrist, the glow of the lights flickering on the device as he rested it against the table. There was no way he would be getting around the station without her help. It was a fact he didn't want to admit to himself. The ultimate lifeform needing aid to walk around the barren halls. Shadow's red eyes focused on the rose once again, the red ring around her wrist signaling the effect his power had caused her.

With a flick of his wrist he summoned the blue emerald she had brought with her, the gem easily colliding with his palm as he gently took her injured appendage in his unoccupied hand. The red burn started to fade away the more he concentrated on it. In all of this, the very last thing he wanted to do was cause her pain. After all, she was the one who helped him remember.

Soon her eyes opened to meet his, the green of them capturing his senses. Their purity something beautiful, something untainted. "Are you alright?"

Her eyes widened as if she were shocked by his appearance. Did she not remember?

Amy's fingertips traced the contours of his muzzle, the fur pressed flat against his skin due to the fluid drying in the awkward way that it had. "Is this..."

"Real?" He finished her question while pressing her hand against his face. "Do I feel real to you?"

"Yes." She replied before dropping her hand. "Where are we?"

"The med bay. You passed out." He stated simply.

"Now that I've freed you can we go home?" Amy turned towards the portside window.

"I am too weak to make it possible at this point in time." Shadow turned his gaze from her. "Every last drop of power was used for my escape."

"So we're stuck here now?"

"You act like it's something terrible."

Xxxxx

Amy looked at the black and red entity in front of her. He looked worn and tired even through he was not at all aged. Her fingers traced the implant on his left wrist, curious as to why they were there.

"There are other rings aboard this fortress but it will take some time to find." He moved her fingers away from the fur-less area.

"What are they."

His crimson eyes settled on her then, the emotions held in them clearly spoke of someone who held the weight of the world on their shoulders. "When Gerald created me there was one design flaw. I being of artificial creation cannot hold a lot of energy with just my physical body. The rings help me channel that power and control it in low doses where as if I shed them the blast could tear through a mountain but I would be severely weakened after."

"Like now."

"Yes, like now. Saving this world made me use what power I had consumed from the emeralds. Therefore I was falling back to Earth...my plummet was stopped by Ivo. Which leads to now." He pointed to the blue planet. "It seems so small from here."

Amy kept quiet as she listen to him. It was the most he'd ever talked from what she could recall and his voice was rather pleasant. A low husky timbre, sometimes almost inaudible, other times plain as day. Either way, she enjoyed listening to him talk about what he needed to become fully functional again.

"You're not a weapon Shadow no matter how much Professor Gerald lost faith towards the end of his life. You were meant to do good and if you were any way not alive you wouldn't feel the way you do." Amy smiled softly as she watched him heave himself out of the chair.

"You think so much of me and yet you barely know me." Shadow sighed as he looked upon her. "Why?"

"Shadow, you saved the planet." She placed a hand on the side of his muzzle. "There has always been good in you, you just needed to remember that."

"Are you always this cheerful?"

"I haven't really been this cheerful since you've been gone."

"I guess we're healing each other then."


	3. Awakened

Disclaimer: Sonic and Co. belong to SEGA. Nothing is gained from this work of fiction.

AN: Sorry for the LONG wait, I have been backed up lately with other things. I did promise to keep working on this even though the updates are extremely slow. Hopefully you will enjoy this chapter as you did the others.

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Three – Awakened

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Amy had never felt so lost than in this moment, safe...but lost. Shadow was leading the way down further into the ARK while she followed behind. He would not let her help him stand choosing to lean on the walls on either side while they continued down. In truth she was getting tired of the inky blackness that was surrounding them, it made her nervous.

"Are we going to turn the power on any time soon?" She finally asked after they turned another corner and he slid down the wall to the floor to rest.

"Almost everything was damaged when we teleported the colony back into orbit. Ivo was able to restore my old holding cell along with the power to supply oxygen to the colony. Everything else is destroyed." Shadow's breathing was severely labored as he finished the explanation. Amy was getting worried about him, something wasn't right.

"Shadow?"

"I'm fine."

"No, something's wrong." She eased down to his level seeing the perspiration coating his fur, rewetting it from where the the fluid had dried. It connected then. "What is this stuff?"

"Don't touch it." He pushed her bare hand away with his ring covered wrist. "It's a toxin to keep me immobile."

"Will it...?"

"Kill me?" He finished her question. "No, but the longer it is on me the more power it drains. The ring is the only thing counteracting it."

"Is there a way to get it off you?" Amy questioned as she looked at the way the liquid caked his fur together.

"Even if I did shower the chemicals have seeped into my skin already...the damage has been done." Shadow eased himself up again on wobbly legs. "Let us proceed."

Xxxxxx

Sonic paced the interior of the space craft as Tails stopped the engines so they could float along in orbit. He felt restless and it was a feeling he wasn't well acquainted with. The last time they were up here it didn't bode well for his state of mind, the loss of what could've been a great friend weighed heavily on his heart.

He heard tails talking but didn't process any of it and really felt bad when the young kitsune gave up, returning to pilot the ship. Wherever Amy was in that space station, he hoped she was safe.

XX

Shadow continued to lean on the walls as they made their way further into the station, his senses were still focused on the young rose behind him. Her breathing was erratic along with her heart rate. His brows furrowed at this, there was nothing to fear here. Or was he reading her wrong?

It didn't matter then, he opened the lab door with his remaining strength falling against the frame. Amy was close behind him, a towel seemed to materialize in her hand. He realized that she had walked passed him in his weakened state to the table just to his left. Shadow didn't want her to take care of him but he was too weary to resist.

"Are you sure that this should stay on you?" Her voice was soft, worried.

"It shouldn't, but I can't get it off." His red eyes focused on her. "Not here, anyway."

"Where is your other ring?"

Shadow lifted his left arm towards a red case in the corner, the metal gleaming in the soft glow of a security light. Underneath the broad edge of a biohazard container laid a glass case containing a gold ring. Amy eased herself towards it, leaning on her tip toes to reach the glass. Luck was on his side when he realized how easy it was for her to open the case. Security systems were down.

She handed him the ring, his black fingers cupping around the gold with care, avoiding her skin. The ring easily snapped into place, the click signifying its full adherence to the implant. With a groaning sigh, he heaved himself up only to hear a warning alarm go off.

"Did you touch anything on your way here?" Shadow asked quickly as he moved as swiftly as he could towards an active console.

"No." Amy leaned against a table as the station began to shudder.

"It seems we're being boarded by your friends." Shadow stated after a pause, his eyes trained on the computer screen, a few fuzzy camera signals giving him a view into the outside areas of the station. "They're looking for you."

A tear slid down her cheek then, the wet substance soaking into the fur; making it darker in contrast to the low lighting from the computer screen. He was confused by this action, the signs of distress clearly written on her face. As he took a closer examination of her, Shadow realized that Amy hadn't been sleeping or eating properly for quite some time.

"I don't want them to find me." She said at last, breaking the silence; her face turned to the fuzzy images of Tail's modified space ship landing in the docking bay. The flickering black and white of Sonic exiting the vehicle looking towards the camera before focusing his interest on his kitsune friend.

"Amy?"

"They didn't believe me, didn't think I was telling the truth." Her head shook backwards and forth as if not believing her own words even though they were true. "Months of this until I stopped speaking of you."

Grateful that she had cleaned his hands with what little medical supplies that were available; he gently eased his bare fingertips against her chin, raising her face towards his. "You are not alone, dear Rose. We can go home now, if you wish."

"Please."

The blue emerald flew into his hand upon silent command, the gem glowing in the ever-present darkness. "Then we shall go."

Shadow eased his hand into hers, their fingers twining together as if they were always meant to be. A spark shot up his arm having nothing to do with the power newly coursing through his veins and everything with the pink hedgehog currently so trusting in his person. "Just think of home, the emerald will know the way."

Her eyes closed, the bright emerald jewels covered up from his gaze; a true loss of something more beautiful than the precious stone of the same color. His voice was but a whisper, afraid of breaking the ever so delicate moment that seemed to surround both of them. "Chaos Control."

XX

Sonic looked down at the display in front of him, the low beeping penetrating the silence around both he and Tails the only thing keeping him sane. His best friend held the flashlight high, the small beam barely breaking the inky blackness before them. He shuddered out a breath as they turned down another darkened corridor, his body shivering with anxiety over what might be discovered in the long abandoned space station.

All of the sudden the device halted, the signal disappearing as if never being there in the first place causing him to stop in his tracks. Sonic's mind raced with the possibilities of what it meant when the signal came back fainter than before.

"Tails..."

"Yeah, Sonic what is it?"

He handed the kitsune the device watching him scan it over, click a few buttons, then lowering it to his side.

"She's back on Earth." Tails looked up at Sonic with a pained expression. "Shadow must be alive."

"Do you..." Sonic couldn't complete the sentence; not wanting to hope for something that seemed so impossible.

"Really think that?" Tails finished it for him. "It's the only conclusion that makes sense. She can't be here then there that quickly."

"So we go."

All Tails did was nod as they headed back towards his customized ship. He hoped soon they'd have the answers they'd been searching for.

XX

Bight light filled the semi-dark room before two solid forms took shape and collapsed on the cream colored carpet. Amy leaned against her travel companion, her head aching, vision spinning, and body trying to catch up with the abrupt way they'd warped to their current location. She was uneasy about opening her eyes. Afraid about finding the whole situation that had occurred before to be a dream. However, Shadow's reassuring bulk beside her continued to confirm his presence to be real as the minutes ticked by.

"Are you alright?" His voice caught her by surprise as her eyes shot open. He was no longer beside her, but in front. Those crimson eyes focused completely on her well-being.

"I think so." She answered meekly, her body still displaced from the warp.

"Come." Shadow's tone was hesitant as he heaved up from the floor and extended a hand to her. "You need rest. Where is your bedroom?"

Amy stared at the glove-less hand before her. The red stripe that extended from just above is elbow elongated gradually down before covering his whole hand. Its color bright red from his palm to finger tips; his nails black. Those gold rings stood out a clear separator between wrist and hand. As she looked up into his eyes again, she realized he was patiently waiting for her to collect herself; his expression unreadable.

Finally, after some debate, she grasped his hand feeling his strength as he heaved her up to stand. The muscles flexing beneath his fur causing a shiver to race up her spine. These feelings were new to her, strange, but not unwanted. Amy found herself weak for a whole different reason then as she leaned on the ebony hedgehog for balance while they walked down the hall. Shadow may have been artificial by creation, by birth, but he was still a being with feelings; emotions.

It only took her a few steps to realize how utterly drained she actually was. Shadow catching her as she almost collapsed into the floor near the entrance to her room. He heaved her into his arms, laying her on the deep rouge comforter before pulling off her shoes. His fingers eased into her hair, removing her head band while his other hand lifted her legs to ease the covers from beneath her body.

"Sleep now." He whispered before pulling the quilts over her form. "I won't be far."

As she succumbed to sleep, her eyelids heavy with fatigue, she hoped he'd stay and never leave.


	4. Overwhelmed

Disclaimer: Sonic and Co. belong to SEGA. Nothing is gained from this work of fiction.

AN: I'm sorry if Shadow or Amy are a bit out of character in anyone's opinion. I'm trying to create something akin to how Shadow might have acted before the severe trauma occured on his person. IE: Maria's death, his imprisonment, amnesia, sudden recovery, fall to Earth, and imprisonment again. Please be patient while I try to form this.

Also if any artist out there would like to depict this story in comic form (Since I suck as a comic artist) please let me know and/or PM me links on deviantArt I'm WolvGambit there. Look me up.

WG

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Four – Overwhelmed

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She awoke dazed and disoriented to the smell of eggs. Her eyes tried so hard to focus on the room around her, the faint pink hue making it difficult to concentrate. Today was one of those days when she wondered why she chose that color in the first place. Pain thundered around her temples as she looked around the semi-sun lit room, the brightness only clouded by her dark red curtains.

"I'm glad to see you awake." A deep voice startled her almost causing her to fall out of bed. Amy turned towards the sound to see Shadow standing in her doorway the light from the hall causing her to gasp suddenly. Over the past two years she'd seen a vision similar to this although the light seemed so much brighter then than now. Unlike her dream, he didn't disappear, he moved closer; sitting on the bed beside her.

"How long was I out?" She finally was able to find her voice, hoarse as it was.

"Almost twelve hours, I couldn't find the will to wake you when your body was so deprived of proper rest." Shadow let his eyes rest on the quilt cover. "My fault, of course."

"What time is it?"

"Close to four in the evening. I, too, needed the rest." He shrugged. "Are you hungry?"

Amy was about to answer when her stomach did for her. The harsh gargle brought on by spasms echoed in the quiet room. Shadow chuckled lowly, the sound making her smile for the first time in so very long.

"Smiling suits you, Rose. Being such a cheerful flower." As if he were a magician a vibrant pink rose appeared in his hand. "I'll leave you to dress."

As she watched him leave, Amy still had trouble believing any of the current situation. It didn't seem real, especially the complete three-sixty that his personality seemed to take on. Or maybe she was seeing the way he used to be before all the traumatic events in his life had taken place. She looked to the rose lying peacefully along the semi-crumpled comforter of her bed. The soft petals capturing the low lighting, enhancing the vibrant color; the green stem trailing behind, echoing the beautiful bloom. Gently, Amy picked up the fragile flower quickly noticing it was also devoid of thorns. Her mind raced, who was Shadow the Hedgehog?

XX

He puttered around the kitchen as if he belonged there, a soft sigh escaping him as he heard Amy moving about upstairs. Shadow placed the pan full of eggs on a pot holder next to the stove with a lid on top while he pushed the bread down in the toaster. Truthfully he wasn't a chef by any means, but he learned to cook the basics for Maria and himself when Professor Gerald was busy with his experiments.

His thoughts were broken when he watched her walk down the stairs from his peripheral vision. She approached him in her fluffy pink bathrobe, the same color slippers adorning her feet; freshly showered. A soft smile graced her lips as she pulled a thin glass vase from a cabinet beside him, filled it with water, then eased the rose he'd given her into it.

"Feeling better?"

"Some." Her answer was still as soft as earlier, still hesitant. He placed a hand under her chin, lifting her gaze to meet his. There was a feeling he just couldn't place as he gazed into her eyes. A pulse in his chest that made him feel lighter, eased a part of the burden he carried. However, even though this feeling was not unwelcome it still made him somewhat uneasy.

"It's time to eat." Shadow sighed as he released his slight hold on her chin. "Come."

No words were needed after that.

XX

Sonic was clear out the door and on his way to Amy's just as soon as Tail's ship docked on the modified landing pad. He didn't feel like waiting a second more. It seemed to take them longer to get back then it did for them to get there. Three days of not knowing if she were safe, three days of running backwards and forth on the small ship. Finally her small cottage came into view, the light blue reflecting the setting sun. Without even bothering to knock he reached in the plant next to the door digging for the spare key, succeeding in capturing it in his grip, then opening the door to find Shadow standing over her with a blanket.

The key he was holding almost dropped to the wood floor as Shadow walked towards him pointing outside. Numb, he followed the dark hedgehogs instructions as they both headed to the small picnic table she kept out front for those special summer occasions.

"I knew you'd be by sooner or later." He shrugged casually. "It was just a matter of time."

"How...?" Sonic could barely form words in his surprise and shame. He felt bad for not listening to his friend these past few years and the pain he unknowingly caused her.

"That is perhaps a story for another time." Shadow looked at him sternly. "She doesn't want to see any of you right now."

"What?" Sonic's swirling emotions quickly settled on anger.

"Look, I'm not making the rules. Amy is. She's not ready to face any of you because of your disbelief. I asked her again two days ago if, when you returned, she would like to speak to any of you." Shadow placed a hand on the table. "She told me no. Don't look at me like I'm lying."

Sonic's expression turned sour. "I just want to know if she's okay."

"Besides the lack of rest, which was my fault; and some mild malnutrition, which I'm working to correct, Amy is perfectly fine." Shadow waved him off. "I will come for all of you when she's had time to come back to herself."

"Fine." Sonic knew the only way to get back into her good graces would be to lay low. For once in his life he didn't want to do anything more than wait even though he hated the action. "You come find me when it's time."

"My word." He held out his hand to the blue hedgehog. "It shall be done."

Sonic took Shadow's bare hand in his gloved one, giving it a firm shake. As he walked away, he turned again to face his counterpart. "Thank you for taking care of her."

Then he was gone.

XX

Doctor Ivo Robotnik tinkered around with his newest invention as the day slowly began to wane to a close. The artificial lighting inside the chamber clicking on just as the sun began to set, the large windows above shuttering closed with a distinct hiss. A huge smile passed his lips as he wiped the sweat from his brow. His creation towered before him, utterly fail-proof to his overly intelligent mind.

"This time Sonic, you'll be mine."

As the final doors shuttered closed around him, his vibrant laugh filled the seemingly never-ending chamber. Tomorrow would be the dawn of a new day, and a test run of something very diabolical indeed.

XX

Amy sighed and scratched her head. The day before had been a tiresome one, not at all what she was used to. With a new view on each and every day since they had returned home, Amy realized just how much her daily routine had changed. No longer did she follow Sonic around, or show interest in fighting against Doctor Eggman. Of course, in retrospect, she found these changes to be for the better.

Shadow walked into the room then interrupting her thought process. Something inside told her he would be looking for his own place to stay soon. It was inevitable and it hurt to think about. She'd grown used to him in the past two weeks. Realization dawned on her then, the fact that time seemed to move so fast, yet she remained in a state of limbo.

"What troubles you, Rose?" His monotone voice gave away everything and nothing at the same time. It was odd how a voice could do that, to the right listener; one able to decipher, there was so much emotion in that one line than anyone else would be able to hear.

"So many things." She looked at him then. "I mean, I don't know what to do with my life at this point."

"How so?"

"My routine hasn't been the same for close to three years, I know I need to move on, but I'm unsure how to." Amy sighed then, a hollow sound even to her own ears.

"I see." Shadow cleared his throat slightly. "There was something I wished to speak to you about."

"Yes?"

"I believe it is time for me to find a place of my own to live."

Even though she had expected as much, it still hurt her when he brought it up. "Oh?"

A frown crossed his features. "This displeases you?"

"I don't want you to go." It sounded weak, she knew it did, but she couldn't help herself. After all this time, Amy felt that if he left everything would return to the dreams she had. It would be as if nothing would be real.

"I don't know what to say." He shrugged.

Amy hugged her knees to her chest. "Say you'll stay."

"What is it that you want of me? I feel as if my being here is hindering more than helping you." Shadow lifted her gaze to meet his own, those red irises burning with an intensity she'd only ever seen in her dreams. "You need to heal, Amy. Not just physically, but emotionally as well."

"Just stay, Shadow." She closed her eyes. "I feel safe with you."

He nodded once, and only once. It was enough.


	5. Revelations

** Disclaimer: Sonic & Co. Belong to SEGA...just borrowing...**

**AN: Yes, I know another LONG wait between updates. If anyone has read my profile, yes I am retiring from the world of fic. But I intend to finish the stories I still have in progress. This is one of them. I hope you enjoy this chapter and I am sorry for the extended period between them since my muse has decided to leave me. Also, sorry if any of the characterizations are off since it's been a while. **

**Also, if anyone would like to depict this story in comic form since I suck at it please send me links on my deviant art. I'm WolvGambit there. **

**WG**

XXXxxxxxxxxx

Five – Revelations

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Sonic sat in his favorite chair, his left arm thrown over the side while his right one rested across his belly loosely clutching the remote to the TV; its programming long since ceased and static filled its screen. The cobalt hero had fallen asleep worried and weary, hardly being able to sleep the past few nights. Tails worried about his long time friend. What pained him most was Amy's unwillingness to see them although he understood her hesitance. With a sigh Tails gently removed the remote to turn off the TV.

He hoped Shadow could get through to Amy, it had been so long since he'd seen her smile. They all missed their friend, daily life felt empty without her cheerfulness and seeing his best friend sink into depression made it worse. Given the circumstances Tails wished he would've looked more into Shadow's disappearance.

XX

Shadow placed the cup of tea he'd made himself on the window sill while he watched his house companion work in her garden. How she'd find such a thing therapeutic, he'd never know; but as he watched her care for each flower a sense of calm washed over him. He turned from the scene making his way towards the kitchen. The sight of her kneeling on the grass, her quills pulled back, weeding the last garden for the day remained in his minds eye as he started on dinner.

A month had passed since his return and he could admit that things were slowly beginning to return to normal. The only issue that remained was her refusal to see her friends. She also refused to speak of it as if it didn't matter. As he put the pasta on to boil he heard her enter the house, step into the kitchen, then pour herself a glass of water.

"Dinner should be ready soon if you wish to clean up." He spoke softly.

"Thanks, I didn't realize how hungry I was." Amy sighed before placing the used glass in the sink. "You don't have to cook all the time."

"If it's the only way you'll let me contribute since I cannot pay for utilities then it is my pleasure to do so." Shadow shrugged casually as he pulled the chicken from the oven to chop and mix it with the Alfredo sauce.

She relented, albeit reluctantly, to his request and he watched as she climbed the stairs. He smiled slightly, glad that he hadn't decided to get his own place after all. Shadow had become used to the routine they had set, it felt easy. Suddenly a sharp pain shot through his wrist, the knife clattering to the cutting board. It had been so long since he'd felt this...a sickening, gut-wrenching agony. The last was right before his fall to earth after he'd expelled so much energy. At that thought he looked down at the rings around his wrist. One of them must have been damaged during those last fateful moments. He was loosing energy by the day and now at the one month mark since his rebirth into the world anew, Shadow felt the cold hands of oblivion clawing at him.

So absorbed in his thoughts, he didn't hear Amy walked down the stairs to stand behind him until she spoke.

"Are you okay, Shadow?"

He shook his head to clear it before turning to her. "It would appear that one of my rings has been damaged. I am unable to retain power as I once had been."

"What about the emerald?" She asked, eyes wide.

"The power within it is raw, unfiltered. It is a danger to use it without a proper balance." Her eyes narrowed at his explanation.

"Maybe Tails would know how to create a new one for you." She stated. "As much as I'm really not ready to talk to them, I want to make sure you're okay Shadow."

"You should not want to talk to them just for my sake, Rose." Shadow began softly trailing his finger down her cheek slowly, his hands were still ungloved and the feeling seemed so natural to him now. Gave him a greater sense of touch he didn't want to desensitize again. "You should want to talk to them because you are ready to take that next step. I have not pressured you because it must be your choice. So I will not make you now. I can survive without a steady source for a while longer."

"But just because you can survive without it doesn't mean you should have to." Amy sighed. "I know you must be in pain."

"Whether or not I am in pain is irrelevant. I have lived with pain before, I can do so now." He shrugged as he turned back to the preparation of their meal. "Experimentation was not without pain."

"You still think you deserve pain?" She asked. "Still believe you're not alive?"

"Just because I breathe and stand before you does not represent life." His red eyes narrowed. "I am an artificial being, I cannot die, I only exist. My purpose is to protect the human race, not 'live' amongst it."

"Your purpose is whatever you chose it to be." Amy shook her head and placed her hand on his to stop his cutting of the chicken. "Doctor Eggman and his grandfather made you believe your purpose was to destroy, Maria gave you friendship and a reason to live. I helped you to remember her wish and gave you a new choice."

He sighed then. "So you would face the people who did not believe you and let you sink into your own personal hell just for the sake of my 'life'?"

"I would. You're my friend, Shadow. Or at least I hope we're friends." She began slowly, somewhat unsure of her words. "I may seem so naïve to everyone else, but I have seen so much in my life that has hardened me for the better. Life can be cruel, but if you don't forgive the ones you love then you'll be alone."

"I would believe we're more than friends, my Rose." He explained. "You have saved my life and are going to do so yet again."

Amy smiled as she moved towards the cabinet to grab dishes for the both of them. "After dinner we'll go see Tails."

"That sounds acceptable." Shadow gave a half smile before accompanying her to the table.

"Also, I think I'm going to give this house a change of scenery. I'm actually tired of staring at all of this pink." She laughed lightly.

All Shadow could do was stare for a brief moment, blink rapidly, then resume eating. Her comment, however random, worried him a bit. He knew Amy loved pink and the fact that she wished to change a crucial part of her personality troubled him. Although, it could just be that she was growing and changing to suit this new-found personality since the years following the arc and his disappearance. Her no longer perky personality a out-right clue to her distress due to the constant ignoring from her friends. It wasn't any wonder why she decided to not speak to them.

XXXxxxx

Amy dressed in a lavender sundress for the outing, stopping along the way to look out at the sunset, watch as the grass gently weaved back and forth in the breeze.

"Are you sure that Tails will be able to duplicate my power ring?" Shadow asked suddenly as they were almost to the Kitsune's workshop.

"Yeah, if anyone can do it, it's Tails." She smiled, really smiled. It seemed like forever since she had given a genuine smile.

Tails' workshop stood tall and proud, the hanger to the Tornado wide open, Sonic sitting on a bench watching while Tails made repairs. Some upbeat rock was playing on the radio while Sonic handed his friend a wrench. As Amy and Shadow got closer they heard the two friends talking about her.

"I mean, it's been over a month since they've been back." Sonic sighed. "Wouldn't she have talked to us by now?"

"You have to give her time." Tails' muffled reply came from under the plane as he held his hand out for the next tool. "She had a severe trauma, we kept telling her that Shadow was gone when he kept communicating with her. How would you take it, Sonic, if someone kept telling you everything you'd been seeing wasn't real and it felt like you were going insane?"

Sonic sighed and scratched his quills. "Yeah, I know buddy. It just sucks."

"I agree with that."

Amy decided to break up their conversation with a small greeting. "Hey guys."

"Amy?" Sonic looked at the rose hedgehog, rubbing his eyes to make sure she was real. Shadow appeared right next to her, the onyx and crimson hedgehog a sheer contrast to the situation. "Shadow?"

"Hello Sonic." Shadow replied. "I am in need of your young genius's skills."

Hearing the voices, Tails wheeled himself out from under the plane and looked at what was going on.

"Hi guys!" He stated excitedly. "It's so good to see you!"

"Yeah, I know." Amy rubbed a hand across her neck sheepishly. "I'm sorry."

"No Amy, we're sorry." Sonic began. "We should've listened to you when you said something was wrong." Then he turned to Shadow. "And I'm sorry we didn't listen to Amy to come and get you sooner."

"It is of no consequence." Shadow waved them off. "I had already braced myself for the possibility of not being removed from that tank."

"Well, either way, it's good to have you back around Shadow." Sonic stuck his hand out and Shadow shook it firmly.

"So what can I help you with?" Tails asked as he wiped his hands off with a rag.

"It appears that one of my power rings was damaged in the fall to earth. I was wondering if there was a chance you could duplicate it?"

The kitsune looked at the gold surrounding the black hedgehog's wrist. "I'd have to analyze it which could take a few hours. But I'm about ninety percent sure I could make you a few backups."

"That is acceptable."

XXXxxx

"So Amy..." Sonic started as they sat on the couch while waiting for Shadow and Tails to return. "How are you really?"

Her green eyes turned sad as she looked down at the cup of tea in her hands. "I'm not sure, really. I mean, sometimes I still have dreams about him being in that space station. Then when I wake up and go downstairs I remember that he's here and everything was real."

"You know I'm sorry, right?" He sighed and took her free hand in his.

Amy sighed and looked at the previous owner of her affections. She no longer felt the same urge to chase after him, or to needlessly grab onto him. However, She could take the small comforts he offered her as she squeezed his hand in her own. His gloved hand seeming foreign now when she was used to Shadows gloveless ones.

"Yes, and I accept your apology. Truthfully, I don't think I would've believed me either. It seemed so dreamlike, that's why I tried to ignore it but I knew in my heart it was real and that he was suffering."

Just then their conversation was interrupted by Shadow and Tails entering the lounge room. Amy released Sonic's hand and made her way to the onyx and red hero.

"So?"

"Tails should be able to fashion me a few replicas within the next few months. I should be able to hold on that long since he temporarily mended my current set." Shadow smiled briefly as he explained. "Are you ready to go? It is getting very late."

Amy looked at the clock on the mantle and realized the time. "Yeah, we should get going." Then she looked at Sonic and Tails. "Do you guys want to come over tomorrow for lunch? Invite Knuckles too?"

"Sure Amy." Sonic piped up immediately. "Sounds awesome!"

"Count me in." Tails smiled.

She waved to them both as Shadow and her exited Tails' home and walked the small path back towards her house. "It's peaceful tonight."

"Yes, it is." Shadow agreed. "I remember times like this on the arc with Maria. We would often look down upon this planet and wonder what people were doing."

"Why were you guys on that space station?" Amy asked suddenly.

"My true purpose was to cure a specific illness. The reason Maria was in space is because she was very ill." Shadow looked up at the moon before continuing. "Nero-Immuno Deficiency Syndrome or NIDS, is a fatal disease and my creation was to help cure her. Gerald believed that my inability to age and resist illness meant that I could create the proper genetic mutations in my blood to successfully make a vaccine. G U N terminated the program, shot Maria, and arrested Gerald before the cure could be created. The government preceived me to be a threat."

"Why?"

"Because my creator had made a deal with the perverbial devil." His crimson eyes met hers. "I am not all really an earthy creature. I am a combination of two very seemingly incompatible elements. Gerald made a pact with Black Doom and his army. A race of aliens that are dead set upon conquring worlds. He will return soon and expect me to fufill my creators promise. A promise that he told me to defy."

Amy's brow furrowed as she struggled to understand the information Shadow had given her. "So you're an alien?"

"Yes, in part. I am a partial clone of a hedgehog and Black Doom himself." He sighed. "Gerald sentenced to die because of the creation he was asked to create for the betterment of mankind. I, an unwilling puppet, with no other choice than to follow the orders given to me by my master."

"You know that Gerald didn't really want to bring about the end of the world, don't you?" Amy asked. "I mean, above all else he was a good man."

"I know that now." Shadow sighed. "But in the clutches of the professor's insanity and my own for the traumatizing events that I had bared witness to as well as played part in, I had no other option except to obey. I still owe you thanks that you helped me remember Maria's real dieing wish or else this mere land we stand on would've been completely gone now."

Amy placed her hand on his shoulder. "Everything will be okay, Shadow. You'll see."

"Yes, in time it will be."


	6. Silent Lucidity

**A/N: As you know I am retiring from the world of fiction, so this is a filler chapter until I find the muse again to complete the stories that are still in progress. Soon also, I will be moving and will not have an internet connection for quite some time. How long I will be without net is uncertain. So enjoy this chapter for now, leave a review if you wish.**

**WG**

Xxxxxx

Six – Silent Lucidity

XXXXxxxx

Shadow felt himself unable to sleep. Something nawing at his thoughts kept him awake, made him watch over his house companion. Hours earlier he'd heard her cries, a nightmare plaguing her; so he'd rushed in and awoke her from her slumber. It felt so strange, yet natural, to comfort someone. Although, the action wasn't the same as when he used to comfort Maria. This connection felt deeper than that. As he sat in the corner of the rose hedgehogs room, his crimson eyes focused on her sleeping form, Shadow realized he'd begun to care for her.

It seemed so irrational, yet right. He remembered asking Maria about it once.

XX

"_Why do people care?" _

_Maria's kind eyes focused on him, her smile telling him all as she gently stroked his mussle. "Because it makes them feel good. Makes them happy. Grandpa Gerald cared for grandma and soon they got married. It's called love." _

"_Love?" Shadow asked, still confused. _

"_Yes, when you care about another person so much that you always want to be with them." She smiled while looking down at the blue planet. "It's why grandpa was so sad when grandma died." _

"_Die?"_

"_When people go away for a long time."_

"_They don't come back?" His red eyes took on a sad hue imagining life without his best friend. _

"_No, they don't. I haven't seen grandma in years. Then we came here." _

XX

He knew that the caring emotions he held for Amy were not the same one's he had held for Maria. Shadow cared for Maria like a friend. The only friend he had since none of the other scientists would ever talk to him and later on he found Gerald to be his father, if in part of creation. Amy...he didn't want to think about it now, but soon it would turn into something more if he let it. Shadow wasn't sure if he was ready for that yet.

XxxxxXXX

The sun streamed into the bedroom through the peek in the blinds waking the rose hedgehog. Amy stretched and turned to see Shadow had left her earlier in the morning. She sighed until she smelled the tell-tale signs of his cooking. A smile graced her features then, especially because it was surprising how good a cook he was. He must've had to take care of Maria and himself when the professor was busy working around the arc.

With a yawn, Amy grabbed the robe at the end of the bed before standing and heading out of her room towards the kitchen. Today marked the day when she was really going to take care of all the pink around her house. A drastic change for certain, but it was time for her to let go of all the bright color. Some darker colors were in order. Some purples, reds, plums here and here. Slowly a smile crept across her face as she began to plan everything out. Hopefully she'd be done getting materials in time for the picnic in the afternoon.

"Lost in thought, my Rose?" Shadow's voice broke her thoughts. She hadn't even realized she'd made it to the kitchen.

"Yes." She blushed a bit. "I was thinking about going to the hardware store in town. Picking out some new colors for the house..."

"You really wish to begin redecorating?" He asked as he sat a plate of food in front of her. "I thought that you really loved this color choice."

"I do, but it's really time for a change." Amy smiled before taking a bite of food. "I mean, how much pink can one person take? It's been like this for years, Shadow."

"I see."

"Besides...the small study area I'm going to make into your room. I'm sure you're very tired of sleeping on the couch."

His eyes widened. "I really can sleep most anywhere. And some nights I rarely sleep. You need not alter your home for me."

"You've been living here since we came back from the arc, Shadow. This place is as much yours as it is mine." Amy took a sip of tea before continuing. "I feel ashamed of myself as it is for not giving you a room for yourself. It's been close to three months and I really need to stop with the self-pity stuff."

"How is it that you pity yourself?" Shadow asked with a raised eyebrow. "As far as I see, you're strong. Able to deal with what life throws at you. You came to my aide when I needed it. You believed I was still alive when no one else would. Amy, you alone ressurected me from the depths of hell. I can not thank you enough for that."

Amy blinked rapidly at the black and red hedgehog before her. He had never been one for long speeches. Never been one to say a lot or speak his mind. This is the most she'd ever heard him talk, even before she rescued him. Usually their conversations were small, often over important things. Like how to use an appliance, where supplies were, what to have for meal times, and if she needed help with something. His words meant a lot to her and she was grateful for his support.

"Thank you, Shadow."

"It is of no consequence, Amy. I only speak the truth. You need not thank me for that." His lips turned up in a sort of half smile as he took the dishes to the sink to wash. "Get ready while I clean up, we'll leave for the hardware store shortly."


End file.
